Structure of container made up of two different and opposed elements joined reciprocally by means of a removable connection unit

ABSTRACT

The combined container made up of two different and opposite container elements, is joined by of a common removable connecting and closing unit, where each container element has a shaped body with a base and a top on which stands a circular entrance accessing the interior of the body of the container element. The entrance is peripherally provided with two diametrically opposed teeth, and a common connecting unit is interposed between said two container elements and engaged by the latter being provided in correspondence with the two opposite facades where the two containers elements are arranged in abutment and aligned, with relative engagement seats for each entrance, the seats being of the type provided with bayonet clamping.

RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not applicable.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a combined container made up of two differentand opposite containers elements joined by means of a common removableconnection and closing unit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The object of this invention finds particular although not exclusiveapplication in the field of containers for alimentary use, for example,for containing fluids where the coupling of two different functions ordestinations of the product contained in each container can be required,such as in the field of cosmetics, in particular, perfumery and bathroomarticles.

The containers are certainly well known. The latter, produced using themost diverse materials, are substantially made up of a container bodywith a varying shape and dimension, which in some cases must bere-closed. A classic example is a bottle, made of glass, with a bodystanding on a base, essentially with a circular section and tapered incorrespondence to the opening for filling, which is preceded by a moreor less elongated neck but also projected along the same orientation asthe bottle body. In the same way as vessels or phials, they are allcontainers that irrespective of material and form of the body require aclosure. In most cases the closure is made up of a plug or cap which issecured in correspondence with the opening of the entrance in order toavoid the dispersion of that which is contained inside the body of therecipient, bottle, vessel, phial and others. Naturally, the closures orcaps can alter their securing and holding means to the container inorder to vary the effectiveness and therefore the function.

As a rule, it can be affirmed that the more effective the securing andholding means to the container, the greater the effect to safeguard thecontained product from dispersion and product fragrance loss, that is tosay maintaining the originally provided characteristics of the packagingas coherent as possible.

From this perspective, the techniques for securing and holding to thecontainer provided inside or along the plug or cap are different andvery well known. For example, the most common method is the screw, whosemasculine or feminine screw thread provided on the interior of the plugor the cap finds a reciprocal connection with the screw thread providedperipherally on the container entrance.

PRIOR ART

Information regarding complex containers, substantially consisting oftwo containers integrated into one is also to be found in relatedliterature. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,964 (Liu) suggests a bottlefor feeding babies, conventionally known as a feeding bottle. The latterconsists of a first cylindrical container, on the interior of which asecond container dimensionally smaller than the first is verticallyhoused. Both are provided with entrances for filling and both have, incorrespondence to the entrance, a screw thread to allow the reciprocalengagement of closing and administration means.

UK2159490 (Datum et al) proposes a vessel able to contain two differentliquids. Also in this case, with respect to a first conveniently sizedcontainer, a second smaller sized container than the first is to beintroduced. Both are provided with threading in correspondence with theentrance and both are closed by the same cap. In this case the cap isprovided with a first thread portion obtained peripherally to the cap incorrespondence to the defining edge along the interior wall of thelatter, said first edge being able to engage the threaded neck of theentrance of the first external container. A second edge is obtained,concentrically with reference to said first peripheral edge that is alsoprovided with threading capable of engaging the neck that is alsothreaded of the second container inside said first container. In thiscase, the cap portion affected by said edge is provided with its ownremovable plug to allow the pouring of the liquid of the secondcontainer without necessarily opening the main container.

Also U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,715 (Green) proposes a solution comprising acomplex container. More particularly, two twinned compartments areobtained from a single container, the latter being separated by means ofa vertical separating partition. A related entrance closed by means of acorresponding conventional screw plug corresponds to each compartment.

In GB 112158 (Westlake) and CH676109 (Elsaesser) a reversible plug isdescribed, or rather a plug provided with a double function according tohow it is to be oriented.

Combined containers are also well known. GB2353988 (Golding) suggestsadouble container for drinks, produced using two modules, one stacked onthe other. The coupling is obtained at the bottom of the upper containerthat is countershaped with respect to the profile of the upper part ofthe base container where the shoulder and the entrance are provided. Inthis case the entrance of the lower container is screwed incorrespondence with the bottom of the upper container.

DRAWBACKS

The solutions mentioned substantially refer to combined containers, eachmade up of two different container elements that in one case, can be oneinside the other and in a second case can be one adjacent to the other.The aim proposed is to allow the use of one or both containers, eachallowing the administration of the product container withinindependently from the other. In principle, a limitation to thesesolutions is that the containers must be conveniently sized in order toallow a significant amount of product to be contained. This circumstanceseems to produce combined containers that are excessively dimensionedand therefore difficult to collate and not easily handled.

A second notable negative aspect is linked to the fact that theirreproduction appears be difficult to carry out and has rathersignificant costs.

For these reasons, there is the need for companies, particularly in thissector, to find alternative solutions capable of avoiding the reporteddrawbacks.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention consists of a combined container made up of two differentand opposite container elements,joined by means of a common removableconnecting and closing unit, where each container element consists of ashaped body with a base and a top on which stands a circular entranceaccessing the interior of the body of the container element, saidentrance being peripherally provided with two diametrically opposedteeth, and in which a common connecting unit is interposed between saidtwo container elements and engaged by the latter being provided incorrespondence with the two opposite facades where said two containerselements are arranged in abutment and aligned, with relative engagementseats for each entrance, said seats being of the type provided withbayonet clamping.

AIMS

A first aim intends to obtain a combined container with containerelements, in this case twinned, that are longitudinally aligned alongthe vertical axis passing through the entrance.

A second aim was that to obtain a combined container with limiteddimensions, that is manageable and easy to store.

A third aim was to provide a combined container made up of two differentcontainer elements to be used independently of each other and to beseparable, which is easily reproduced at industrial level and does notrequire a high number of codes for management in stock, thus providingan optimal solution for containing production costs with respect topre-existing solutions.

In conclusion, it was possible to obtain an original combined containerprovided with good technological content and at least greaterconvenience and effectiveness of use.

These and other advantages will appear from the following non-limitativedetailed description of a preferred solution with the aid of theenclosed schematic drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 represents a perspective and overall view of the combinedcontainer.

FIG. 2 represents a perspective view of the connecting and closing unitof the two container elements that form the combined container in FIG.1.

FIG. 3 represents a view from above of the connecting and closing unitrepresented in FIG. 2.

Finally, FIG. 4 represents a view of one of the two container elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Also with reference to the Figures, it is observed that the combinedcontainer (FIG. 1) includes a first container element 1 which by meansof the connecting and closing unit 3 is linearly joined to the secondcontainer element 2 that is overturned, therefore opposed with respectto said first container 1.

Both the first container 1 as well as the second container 2 are made upof a body 10, that in this case can be made of glass or plastic materialthat is shaped, equipped with a support base 100, 200, and a top 101,201. In correspondence to the top 101, 201, that defines the shouldersof the shaped body 10, 20, the entrance 4 is obtained to projectcentrally in a circular way through which filling and pouring of theproduct contained within is carried out.

Said entrance 4 is provided with a neck 40 peripherally to which theteeth 41 are obtained that are diametrically opposed and that act asmeans of reciprocal holding of the intermediate unit 3 of connection andclosing of the first 1 and second container 2.

The intermediate connection and closing unit 3 consists of a shapedbody, (see FIG. 3) in this case in plastic material, with a countersunkannular seat 32 in correspondence to each of the two opposite surfaces30 and 31. In more detail, the two opposite surfaces 30 and 31 form thecoupling interfaces of the top 101, 201 of the first 1 and secondcontainer 2 that are countershaped to receive the shoulders of saidfirst 1 and second container 2 with stability and support. On theinterior of each countersunk annular seat 32, at least one guide seat 33is obtained on the interior of which the teeth 41 are to be inserted,said teeth are diametrically opposed for clamping by means of a ¼ turnrotation of the bayonet type of the corresponding entrance 4 with therelative neck 40 of the first container 1 on one side, and on the otherside a second container 2 that is specular with respect to said firstcontainer.

In this way, since the surfaces 30 and 31 are interfaces they are toadhere to the top 101, 201 of the first 1 and second 2 containerengaging with the respective countersunk seats 32, the relative entrance4 and the neck 40.

In one possible variant, provision is made for said entrance 4 of thefirst 1 and second 2 container to integrate a closure plug of saidentrance, on said closure plug and/or alternatively also along the edgeof the neck 40, some teeth 41 are provided with the aim of obtaining thesame bayonet clamping, as described above, in an intermediate connectionand closing unit 3.

1. Combined container having two different and opposite containerelements, said container comprising: a container element comprised of ashaped body, with a base and a top, an entrance on said top 4 with acircular form for access to an interior of the body of the containerelement, said entrance being provided peripherally with reciprocalholding means of a common connection and closing unit which isinterposed between said two container elements and engaged by saidelements being provided in correspondence with the two opposite facadeswhere said two containers elements are arranged in abutment and aligned,with related engagement seats of each entrance.
 2. Combined containerhaving two different and opposite container elements according to claim1, wherein the entrance of each first and second container is providedwith a neck peripherally to which teeth are obtained that arediametrically opposed and that act as means of reciprocal holding of theintermediate connection and closing unit of the first and secondcontainer, the intermediate unit being in correspondence with each ofthe two opposite surfaces providing a countersunk annular seat, alongwhich a guide seat is obtained where the diametrically opposed teeth areto be inserted for clamping by a quarter turn rotation of the bayonettype of the corresponding entrance with the relative neck of the firstcontainer on one side and the other side, of a second container that isspecular with respect to said first container.
 3. Combined containerhaving two different and opposite container elements according to claim1 wherein two opposite surfaces of the intermediate connection andclosing unit form the coupling interfaces of the tops of the first andsecond container, countershaped to house the shoulders of the first andsecond containers.
 4. Combined container having two different andopposite container elements according to claim 1, wherein said entranceof the first and second containers integrate a closing plug of saidentrance.